Shiseido to Conduct Demonstration Experiments Related to Latest Sensory Research on Scent at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan

Shiseido will host a special project called Shiseido Week, themed Beauty Dialogue, at one of EXPO 2025’s Signature Pavilions, “Dialogue Theater—sign of life,” produced by Film Director KAWASE Naomi, in Osaka, Kansai, Japan. This ten-day event is scheduled to take place from Friday, July 11, to Sunday, July 20.
From Friday, July 11, to Monday, July 14, Shiseido will conduct visitor-participatory demonstration experiments related to its sensory research experiencing empathy through the use of scent at the Dialogue Theater Building (Figure 1). The experiments aim to investigate whether scent can positively influence people’s connections, especially in light of growing concerns about weakened human connections and issues of loneliness and isolation.
The venue for the demonstration experiments is the Signature Pavilion, “Dialogue Theater—sign of life,” sponsored and technically supported by Shiseido. “Dialogue” and “diversity,” two themes highlighted in the pavilion and promoted by KAWASE Naomi, the thematic project producer, under the concept of “Embracing Lives,” are considered essential for realizing a sustainable world where everyone can enjoy a lifetime of happiness through the power of beauty, Shiseido aims for. In this Signature Pavilion, Shiseido will demonstrate how its technology can contribute to such a society at this diverse gathering place called Expo.

Figure 1: Demonstration experiments in the Dialogue Theater Building

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Background and Significance of Demonstration Experiments

Recent social changes, such as the rise in single-person households, diverse work styles, and widespread Internet usage, have led to weakened connections among families, communities, and businesses. These changes have raised concerns about the potential for loneliness and isolation*. Simultaneously, advancements in technology that facilitate online connections through social media and other platforms have highlighted the need for deeper emotional ties and a desire to get to know others better and improve communication.
In response to this social backdrop, Shiseido is leveraging over 40 years of research in the field of sensory science related to cosmetics. This includes technology that quantifies the comfort and emotions experienced during product use, effectively visualizing an individual’s mind, to initiate efforts to simultaneously measure the behavior, emotions, and physiological indicators of two or more individuals and visualize the relationships between them. As part of this initiative, Shiseido will conduct demonstration experiments to test the hypothesis that “scent can enhance empathy.”**
The demonstration experiments are part of Shiseido’s efforts to explore new fields and categories, focusing on elucidating the relationships between skin, body, and mind within one of Shiseido’s research areas, Future Beauty Innovation, and to establish new business foundations.
* Report on Basic Survey on People’s Connections (2024) by The Office for Policy on Loneliness and Isolation, Cabinet Office (tyosakekka_gaiyo.pdf)
** Details of the “effect of scent on enhancing empathy” will be published at a later date.

Shiseido Week Special Project Overview

Implementation Period: 10 days from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20, 2025
Venue: Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
Inside the Signature Pavilion of KAWASE Naomi’s theme project, “Dialogue Theater—sign of life”

Project Details:
1. Implementation of visitor-participatory demonstration experiments: experiencing empathy through the use of scent
For four days from Friday, July 11 to Monday, July 14, one randomly selected visitor will engage in a dialogue with a stranger they have never met before via a screen in the Dialogue Theater Building (Figure 2) on the theme of “beauty.” The audience will observe the dialogue between the two participants, comparing their thoughts to those of the participants, similar to watching a movie. Shiseido will conduct a demonstration experiment to visualize the emotions of the two participants during the dialogue and explore whether “scent” has the power to improve human relationships.

2. Implementation of beauty dialogue to share movements of the mind
In this era of advanced technology, Shiseido aims to take a step toward a better world by sharing moments that reflect the inherent movements of the human mind and the feelings we hold for others. This will involve deliberate acts of writing a letter to someone and conveying one’s feelings directly to the person in front of you.

＜Daily Activities＞ For ten days from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 20, a “Beauty Dialogue Letter ＆ Post” station (Figure 3) will be set up at the Meeting House in the Forest. Visitors can use a specially made letter set created by brand SHISEIDO*** to write about beautiful moments that moved their minds during their visit to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, and drop their letters into the postbox. This way, they can send their letters to loved ones both at home and abroad.****
*** brand SHISEIDO: https://www.shiseido.com/us/en/　
****This service is free of charge, limited to one letter per person, and will close for the day once the daily limit is reached.

＜Event Schedule: From 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays＞ A series of events called “Beauty Dialogue Night” will take place from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 13 and from Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20. Two randomly selected visitors will be invited to participate in a special space within the Meeting House in the Forest, where they will write their feelings for each other on both sides of a board and convey them to each other on the spot.***** This event marks the first time in Japan that brand SHISEIDO holds its “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL TO ME, BECAUSE…” initiative, which it has been holding since 2016.******
***** Videos of participants who have given their consent will be posted on this website 　 https://brand.shiseido.co.jp/expo2025.html?lang=en.
****** “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL TO ME, BECAUSE…” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jnfMW_y0go

3. Hospitality with Scent of SHISEIDO ULTIMUNE*******
The scent of SHISEIDO ULTIMUNE, which evokes feelings of relaxation and energy, will be used to scent the dialogue cards distributed in the Dialogue Theater Building and the space in the Meeting House in the Forest via a diffuser. Along with memories of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, Shiseido will distribute aroma cards featuring the scent of SHISEIDO ULTIMUNE at the Meeting House in the Forest, allowing visitors to take the scent home with them.
******* SHISEIDO ULTIMUNE™ Power Infusing Serum is brand Shiseido’s signature beauty serum. Its green floral scent creates a sense of comfort. Since the 1980s, Shiseido Co., Ltd. has conducted “aromachology research” to clarify the physiological and psychological effects of scent, resulting in the development of the ULTIMUNE scent.

Figure 2: Exterior view of the Dialogue Theater Building

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Figure 3: Beauty Dialogue Letter ＆ Post

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Details of Experience Using Sensory Research Equipment (Figure 4)

In the experiencing empathy through the use of scent, two participants face each other across sensory research equipment installed in the Meeting House in the Forest, engaging in free conversation while looking into each other’s faces. During the conversation, Shiseido’s sensory research technology will read information related to their emotions from their facial expressions, calculate the degree of empathy, and release scent into the space at the moment empathy is achieved.******** After the experience, participants can view results that show how many times the scent was released and the maximum level of empathy reached. This equipment is designed to allow even those not directly participating in the Dialogue Theater Building’s demonstration experiment—conducted as a special project for Shiseido Week—to enjoy a similar experience.
******** For spatial aromatherapy, Shiseido has adopted “Grid Scent TM,” developed by Sony Corporation using its proprietary odorant control technology, Tensor Valve™ technology. https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/technology/activities/STEF2022/exhibition_0303/
Figure 4: Permanent exhibition at the Meeting House in the Forest, “experiencing empathy through the use of scent”

Additional Information
The postbox used in “Beauty Dialogue Letter ＆ Post” and the signage from Shiseido inside the Signature Pavilion, “Dialogue Theater—sign of life,” are created from collected and recycled used cosmetic containers. Shiseido is also involved in the BeauRing circular project, which collects used plastic containers and regenerates them into new ones, with the aim of contributing to a sustainable society.

＜Official Site＞
BeauRing https://corp.shiseido.com/beauring/

Figure 4: Permanent exhibition at the Meeting House in the Forest, “experiencing empathy through the

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Future Prospects

Shiseido has set a vision for 2030 to become a Personal Beauty Wellness Company, promoting health and beauty for each individual throughout their lifetime. Shiseido aims to foster a sustainable society where people can experience happiness through the power of beauty. The results of the demonstration experiments related to sensory research conducted at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, will be utilized to enhance the value of its cosmetics and services, ultimately leading to the creation of innovative sensory experiences. Shiseido strives to create a society where everyone can achieve unique health and beauty throughout their lives by strengthening the connection between emotions through new sensory research and technology, as well as facilitating connections among customers through these advancements in sensory research and technology.

＜Official Site＞
Signature Pavilion of KAWASE Naomi’s theme project, “Dialogue Theater—sign of life”
https://expo2025-inochinoakashi.com/en/

R＆D Strategy

Shiseido has established three pillars under its R＆D philosophy ”DYNAMIC HARMONY” to accelerate innovation: ”Skin Beauty Innovation: Equity enhancement of existing brands,” ”Sustainability Innovation: Circular value creation,” and ”Future Beauty Innovation: Challenges in new areas.” Additionally, Shiseido promotes open innovation and advances new value creation through research alliances with various external organizations. The innovative research outcomes generated from the fusion of Shiseido's advanced science and the knowledge and technology of world-class research institutions are highly regarded academically on a global scale, including at the IFSCC Congress, the world's largest and most prestigious research conference on cosmetic technology.

＜About R＆D Philosophy ”DYNAMIC HARMONY”＞
https://corp.shiseido.com/en/rd/dynamicharmony/

Reference Materials
Elucidation of the relationship between skin, body and mind ｜ Research areas ｜ INNOVATION ｜ Home
https://corp.shiseido.com/en/rd/development/diagnosis.html

Shiseido Partners with the University of Tokyo to Launch Collaborative Research Project Aimed at Scientifically Elucidating Effects of Beauty on Skin, Body, and Mind (2024)
https://corp.shiseido.com/jp/news/detail.html?n=00000000003895